The invention relates to a diffusor for an inflator of an airbag module including an outer wall that encloses the inflator at least in a discharge area in the circumferential direction, wherein the outer wall has a gap edge substantially extending in the longitudinal direction and is bent open along said gap edge upon activation of the inflator and defines a discharge direction for the gas.
Airbag modules include diffusors that serve for influencing the inflating behavior of the airbag and for swirling the gas flowing out of the inflator so as to protect the airbag fabric against direct incident flow of the hot gas. From the state of the art diffusors are known for enclosing the inflator in a discharge area. Upon activation of the inflator they are fully or partially opened by the pressure wave formed. In such opened state the diffusor defines a discharge orifice through which the gas can flow into the airbag. The area of the airbag fabric located behind the diffusor is protected against direct incident flow of the hot gas while the gas flow guided through the discharge orifice is swirled so that the gas is cooled and a uniform pressure increase occurs in the airbag. Although in the diffusors used so far sufficient protection of the fabric located behind the diffusor is provided, the swirl characteristics of these diffusors are insufficient, however, so that the airbag fabric frequently has to be protected by additional protective layers. The gas flow is merely deflected in this case so that the pressure wave of the inflator and the hot gas, respectively, directly impinge on the airbag fabric.